Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Second Guest Post with David Baboulene and the Winners

This is the
second post byDavid Baboulene, a Story
Development Consultant. He is
also the author of The Story Book. Since first being published in 2002, David
has produced two humorous books, two children’s books and an academic work on
story principles. David has also had three film productions deals, two in Hollywood and one in the UK and has worked
as a story consultant for film-makers, authors and script development and
training organisations. He has worked
with some big names including providing
story consultancy for Marion Pilowsky (ProducerSleuth; Little Fish; Being Julia)
and Janette Innes (writer/producerThe
Ghost Walker; Rain). David is giving seminars on story principles throughout
the UK and in Los Angeles in 2011 in
collaboration with The Script Factory, Euroscript and other partner companies.
David writes extensively on his subject, including his monthly column inWriting MagazineandWriters' News. He lives
in sunny Brighton in the UK with his wife and four children.

Character Growth and Learning
By David Baboulene

All of the greatest stories have a single common framework
element that defines the story, and that is Character Growth and Learning. At
least one character - normally but not necessarily the protagonist - will be
challenged by story events to learn and grow through the experiences they go
through in living out the story. In a happy ending, the character will rise to
the challenge, negotiate and successfully change and develop and grow. In a
tragedy they may fail to learn the lessons. In an ironic ending, they may learn
the lessons, and die in the process, but they do so for the benefit of
humankind. It doesn’t matter, as long as the lessons are evident to the
audience, who understand the importance of the character’s success or failure.

What do we mean by life lessons? Well, in stories that
resonate strongly, these are the experiences through which the protagonist
advances their human status and prospects and those of their genetic line. If,
for example, a player journeys from rags to riches, or from weak to strong,
vulnerable to safe, hopeless to belief, ignorance to knowledge, single to
coupled, starving to fed, unable to able, sick to well, ugly to beautiful -
anything at all - any progress along what would generally be considered
positive social advancement resonates well with readers and viewers.

Let’s look at an example. The surface story of Back to the Future shows a protagonist
dealing with events that bear no obvious relationship to the psycho-social
issues above, but we don’t have to dig too far beneath the surface to find that
the underlying power lies exactly here. Across the full arc of the story, what
measurable changes take place in the protagonist’s life? Well, Marty McFly
begins in a family comprising a mother who drinks Vodka at the dining table, a
weak and subservient father being bullied by his peers, an overweight sister
who can’t get a boyfriend, and a brother working in a fast-food joint. They
live in run-down conditions and are going nowhere in life.

Look at the human/life values in the frame: At the basic
levels, we see drinking and obesity – threats to health. The family is bullied
by Biff Tannen, so economic security and ‘freedom from threat’ are under the
cosh. The sister ‘can’t get a boyfriend’ – the chances of high quality genes
propagating to the next generation are low and she is unfulfilled at the level
of ‘love’ and ‘acceptance’. The father George is weak and riddled with
self-doubt. Even Marty lacks self esteem (he doubts his musical ability). Even
the time travel itself – the main adventure plot line – is presented as a
threat, not simply because of its inherent dangers, but because it puts the
future of the McFly gene pool in jeopardy. Marty and his siblings are being
wiped out by his interference in past events.

It is these fundamental human values that resonate with us
as an audience. By the end of the story what has changed? Marty’s journey, his
experience and the actions he has taken mean that the family as a whole has
climbed up a level of social achievement. All aspects of the home exude
prestige and fulfillment. All the family members are healthy and slim. The
parents are back from the country club where they’ve been playing golf; they
radiate love, affection, togetherness and contentment. The house and cars ooze
status and achievement. Biff has been subdued and is forced into subservience
by an assertive and fulfilled father (his first book is published – a clear
symbol of fulfillment if ever there was one!). The sister is fighting off
multiple boyfriends. The brother is smartly and proudly heading off to his
office profession. Marty gets the girl, thereby securing the next generation
(indeed, we meet their kids in the sequel). The dragon is slain by the brave
knight who ends the story in a luxurious kingdom and in the arms of his adoring
princess.

And the key moment that causes all these life changes? That
single scene in which George is forced into making a key decision under
pressure. Fight or flee... He overcomes his weakness, makes a fist... and lays
Biff out with one punch. George had a life challenge - he changed and he grew -
and his world improved for that. These are the factors that make this story a
massive winner, not the time travel or the De Lorean or the crazy scientist and
the rest of it. Character Growth and Learning is what resonates with a human
audience.

We have only scratched the surface here. Do please feel free
to contact me and I will be delighted to send you a chapter from The Story Book
going into more detail on this or any other aspect of what gives a story a
beating heart.

Great guest post, David! For me, the characters journey is the most important thing in a story because without the characters the plot is empty. Even if you don't have a major plotline, if the characters are interesting then readers will still read it. They want to connect to the characters.

Wow! What a lovely surprise :-) Actually, this comes at a great time for me, as I'm doing 'the big edit' on one book, and just outlining the next one. A great time to read good story development advice.

This is an interesting article, and it highlights an aspect of storytelling which can either weaken or strengthen a story considerably, depending how well it's done. I'm very much looking forward to reading the book.

Great tips. I had to stop in mid comment because my cat brought in a bird. I have just released it and it flew away so fingers crossed it's ok.I'm slightly stuck with my WIP at the moment, so I'm taking a break to figure out where my characters will go from now on. :O)

About Me

Welcome to my Scriptorium, my online Writing Room. I love to connect with other writers, so grab a chair, a cup of coffee, a bar of chocolate and we will discuss stories, books, writing, works in progress, characters, plots, marketing, titles and many other things related to writing and publishing.